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A Fucking Elephant sounds like drug induced crime. Hailing from scenic Pennington, NJ, this experimental metal duo has been assaulting basements and forcing acoustic trauma since 2007. After self-releasing a split 7″ with Chicago’s Arbogast in 2010, A Fucking Elephant teamed up with El Drugstore for a split full-length on Nefarious Industries in July 2011.

After a year long hiatus, A Fucking Elephant will barricade themselves in the studio with engineer Colin Marston (Krallice, Dysrhythmia, Behold… The Arctopus) to lay down two new tracks. The material being recorded is for a 7” the duo – drummer Greg Meisenberg and guitarist Matt Keys — will be releasing in January 2013, in conjunction with a stateside tour to support it.

Harsh sonic destruction, dope soaked and wow.

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“Ghost Simpson is an exploratory EP that introduces the band that is its namesake perfectly. There are reference points here from the progressive synth experiments of acts like Banco De Gaia and System 7 to the ambient dub of The Orb (themselves explorers of the space originally occupied by the likes of Pink Floyd and Yes). […] It’s a dark, brooding, gothic atmosphere the duo conjure, the music rooted in the post-punk experimentation of the early eighties […] a woozy style that recalls a dark underground nightclub where the blues-loving patrons have all been doped with ketamine and left drooling for a night of psychedelic noise and half-observed flashes of distorted reality. […] In this age of endless derivation, GHOST SIMPSON have tapped into something truly different.” – Sonic Abuse

“New York-based moody synth duo Ghost Simpson are set to release their debut self-titled EP on December 1 via Nefarious Industries. Lee and Melissa Chernowetz, with the aid of drummer Greg Meisenberg (Maid Myriad, A Fucking Elephant), craft ethereal and Gothic soundscapes on this semi-conceptual release in which each song tells a supernatural tale. We at American Aftermath are stoked to bring you the opening cut from the EP, “The Silver Arrow”. Pulsating electronics and ghostly synths make up the bulk of this tune spearheaded by Melissa Chernowetz’s crooning.” – American Aftermath

Happy Halloween! On this eve of All Hallows’, Nefarious Industries is proud to announce the addition of NYC-based Ghost Simpson to our eclectic roster. Ghost Simpson formed in the Bronx in 2014 with Lee Chernowetz on synthesizers and guitars and Melissa Chernowetz on vocals and synthesizers. Their sonic explorations into the barrier between the living and the dead have been described as captivating, ethereal, powerful, dark, and expressive. Melodies draw from folk music, soul, and pop. Their self-titled debut EP, featuring drummer Greg Meisenberg (A Fucking Elephant, Maid Myriad), will be released December 1st.

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As EL DRUGSTORE gets ready to pump their mangled instrumental chaos into your holiday shrimp cocktail on New Year’s Eve, with the release of their debut full-length, Plague Ship, today Noisey gets down with the sickness and busts out a pulverizing new jam from the record.

The second of ten brainbanging EL DRUGSTORE rippers on the record, “Hipster Tits” is one of the album’s most extensive, smacking you right in the face with over five minutes of nonstop hyper-jam dementia, supplying some of the most schizophrenically-inclined tension-builders to be found within the confines of the Plague Ship. When our thugs approached Noisey’s people about deploying a different track from the record, their response was, “How can you have a song called ‘Hipster Tits’ and not premiere it on VICE?”

Get in on the unharnessed action with Noisey/VICE whenever you have a free hand AT THIS LOCATION.

MetalSucks is crazy for these dudes too; they recently dropped “The Natives Are Getting Useless” from the record RIGHT HERE.

Plague Ship will see digital release on Nefarious Industries — EL DRUGSTORE’s independent label founded with their cohorts in A Fucking Elephant in 2011 — on New Year’s Eve, with a physical pressing to follow.

Comprised of guitarist Kevin Conway (ex-East of the Wall), drummer Seth Rheam (East of the Wall) and bassist Rolando Alvarado, EL DRUGSTORE’s jacked-up delivery is at full-mast on Plague Ship, the record bearing over forty-five minutes of their belligerent, instrumental bombast. On the dizzying array of head-scratching jam-outs, amplification runs rampant, propelling the massive array of effect/pedal-laden spazz-riffery through the pummeling percussive whiplash without a whiff of spitty breath to be found. Plague Ship was tracked at parts unknown by the band and their cohort Chris Alfano (East of the Wall, Argonauts), and mixed and mastered by Kevin Antreassian at Backroom Studios.

“The music is hyperactive, disjunctive and jarring. It will enthrall you as well as pummel you with its tornadoes of complex riffing and eccentricities. Instrumental technical metal has been done before but El Drugstore have a style all their own and Plague Ship can attest to that. 9/10″ – American Aftermath

“In places Plague Ship soundtracks a cyclone carnival ride, all dizzying tempos and blurring sights, and follows riders as they disembark to stagger down the midway, dodge fest-goers and barfpiles, then come to a stop facedown behind the toilets. It’s wild!” – MetalSucks

As New Jersey’s mutant trio of the progressive metal scene, EL DRUGSTORE, prepares to sail their Plague Ship debut full-length, the first bait traps have been set with the release of the album’s maiden single.

Now streaming at MetalSucks, the sixth of the ten riff-torpedos loaded into Plague Ship’s cannons is a prime example of the deranged but dexterous and over-amplified, instrumental professionally-imbalanced craftsmanship these three deckhands mop the place up with. In just over four-and-a-half minutes on the pummeling “The Natives Are Getting Useless,” EL DRUGSTORE unloads more metallic commotion in this solitary anthem than many so-called progressive practitioners perform all year, the album a vast three year-long writing and pre-production process. The cover art for the band’s kinky new voyage forged by the hand of Jolil Ula from Vacant Eye Photography and the roster of deranged sea shanties on board this diseased vessel have also been released from the cargo bay.

Get seasick but keep your chum overboard as “The Natives Are Getting Useless” courtesy of MetalSucks RIGHT HERE.

EL DRUGSTORE’s virgin romp on full-length turf, Plague Ship will see digital release on Nefarious Industries — their own conjoined independent label founded with their cohorts in A Fucking Elephant in 2011 — on the last day of the year, December 31st, with a physical pressing to follow.

Devised by the corrupted intellect of guitarist Kevin Conway (ex-East of the Wall), drummer Seth Rheam (East of the Wall) and bassist Rolando Alvarado, Keyport, New Jersey-based EL DRUGSTORE has been discharging their mangled, aggro-technical metallic racket since 2008. The band’s debut recording, a split full-length with cohorts A Fucking Elephant, marked the inauguration of their conjoined independent label, Nefarious Industries in 2011. But the swagger of their jacked-up anti-capella songcraft is at full-mast with their debut full-length, Plague Ship, bearing over forty-five minutes of EL DRUGSTORE’s belligerent bombast. On the dizzying array of head-scratching jam-outs, amplification runs rampant, propelling the massive array of effect/pedal-laden spazz-riffery through the pummeling percussive whiplash without a whiff of spitty breath to be found. Plague Ship was tracked at parts unknown by the band and their cohort Chris Alfano (East of the Wall, Argonauts), and mixed and mastered by Kevin Antreassian at Backroom Studios.

Plague Ship Track Listing:
1. Tell Them I Said Something
2. Hipster Tits
3. Enthusiastic Corruption of the Public Good
4. Fascinating Underpants
5. By What Ill-Begotten Means Have You Procured This Meat?
6. The Natives Are Getting Useless
7. Tokyo Assault
8. Wheel of Sadness
9. Pandemonium in the Bronx
10. Steakback

EAST OF THE WALL will be entering the renowned New Brunswick, New Jersey recording studio Trax East on May 27th to begin tracking the band’s next album, Redaction Artifacts, with engineer Eric Rachel (Burnt By The Sun, God Forbid, The Red Chord, Municipal Waste). Mixing is scheduled for mid-July and the album will be released in late October via Translation Loss Records.

Those wishing to hear new material from Redaction Artifacts right now can do so by purchasing the benefit single for the band’s new song, “I’m Always Fighting Drago.” All proceeds go to producer Andrew Schneider, to help him rebuild his studio Translator Audio — the point of conception for previous East Of The Wall albums as well as Made Out Of Babies, Keelhaul, Cave In, Unsane, and more have recorded — which was destroyed during Hurricane Sandy. In addition to the new demo for “…Drago” and an acoustic version of the band’s song “Century Of Excellence,” anyone who purchases the benefit single this April will receive links to download two free albums. The first is the new Personnel EP from EOTW guitarist/vocalist Matt Lupo’s solo project Opul. The second is the full-length Understanding Consequences from Day Without Dawn, the short-lived group formed by members of EOTW in 2006 after their previous band The Postman Syndrome disbanded. Purchase the Benefit For Translator Audio single and receive the complimentary albums RIGHT HERE.

One last way to hear new EAST OF THE WALL music in advance is to see them live. This April, the band — with Carmine Laietta of Hull in tow as a touring third guitarist — will be road testing new material on a two week tour. Also available at these shows is the new vinyl edition of the band’s out-of-print first album, Farmer’s Almanac, released today via Nefarious Industries.

Tech/prog metal squad EAST OF THE WALL this week transmits the details for their upcoming stateside April tour. Beginning with a home state kickoff show on April 12th, the tour will hit eleven cities across the East Coast and Midwestern U.S. Sponsored by long-running webzine Metal Underground, the trek will see EOTW teamed up with LA-based stoner/groove metal outfit All Hail The Yeti for all shows, with Indiana’s math/experimental metal outfit Exotic Animal Petting Zoo also joining the melee on three dates.

In conjunction with the new tour, EAST OF THE WALL will also issue a high-quality LP pressing of their previously out-of-print debut full-length, Farmer’s Almanac. Initially released on CD through Forgotten Empire Records in 2008, this 2013 edition of the Farmer’s Almanac broadcasts the entire maiden album performed by the band’s earliest lineup and is hitting the streets via EOTW’s cohorts at Nefarious Industries. It has been remastered at Menegroth, The Thousand Caves by Colin Marston, who originally recorded and mixed the album, and supplied guest guitar tracks during the recording sessions. The release will see limited pressings on 180-gram vinyl, with 250 copies on black and 250 on transparent blue, and will include an MP3 download coupon, all housed in a full-color gatefold jacket. Preorders can be placed here.

Recently EAST OF THE WALL posted a new digital single to benefit Translator Audio, the renowned NYC-based studio where the band and many others including Keelhaul, Unsane, Pelican, Cave In and Rosetta recorded some of their prime albums. Stream the track “I’m Always Fighting Drago” and purchase the two-song download to help rebuild Translator Audio RIGHT HERE.

EAST OF THE WALL will enter the studio in late Spring to construct their next massive LP for Translation Loss. More info will be announced in the coming weeks. Contact Earsplit PR for all EOTW press inquiries including previews and live coverage of the upcoming tour.

Aaron Pickford of Sludgelord talks to A Fucking Elephant about their new record, Seven Inches, in this thorough interview that touches on tense subjects including life, love, and plant-rearing. Read the full interview right here.

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Ditch your stupid plans for the evening, and show your significant other this teaser video from A Fucking Elephant‘s January 2013 tour – guaranteed to make the boxers/panties drop. Released just over 3 weeks ago on January 22, Seven Inches is available now in your choice of black or yellow heavy weight vinyl, to be played at nauseatingly high volumes at 45rpm. Design and layout by Eric Nyffeler / Doe Eyed. More footage is being compiled, so stay tuned! Til then, play this video on repeat. Video by Roman Meisenberg / Waffles and Pancakes.

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“This two-track seven-inch from New Jersey duo A Fucking Elephant packs a heck of a punch in all of its seven minutes (you may be sensing a theme here). […] It will be interesting to see what A Fucking Elephant will do the next time they give themselves a little more time and space (their previous release, a full-length, was still a split with cohorts El Drugstore) so that we can have a proper one night stand. Until then, the quick shag in a club bathroom that is Seven Inches will have to do.” – Exclaim! Magazine

“…notes falling over themselves like babies in a cement mixer… A Fucking Elephant are awesome. They are not interested in commercial interest, mass sales or glossy marketing. They play and record what they feel and then press it to nauseatingly yellow vinyl […]. They recall the heady days of early-90’s alternative before it turned introverted and buried itself in gloom and they resonate with the simple joy of making music because they can – no hype, no bullshit pressure and no unnatural digital gloss. This is rock music as it should be – raw, untamed and unrestrained and it quite simply is A Fucking Elephant.” – Sonic Abuse

“Chaotic and technical, listening to guitarist Matt Keys and drummer Greg Meisenberg symbiotic communication manifest itself in such dynamically charged music is jaw-dropping. Dissonant, spasmodic, unbalanced, lopsided, crooked, skewed, whatever; one thing is for sure: With only Seven Inches from A Fucking Elephant, two tracks are nowhere near enough. More please.” – The Midlands Rocks

“The erratic, jazz-syncopated and caustic shrapnel that’s lovingly carved into the grooves of Seven Inches, the new 2-song single from New Jersey’s A Fucking Elephant, is the type of scattered violence one hopes for when confronted with a song title like “I’m Addicted to Drugs & Sex and I Want You to Choke Me.”” – Stereo Killer

“These two, short pieces of music are complex, playful, noisy, psychoactive and will keep you tripping for days.” – American Aftermath

“Extreme progressive metal. Everything is perfected. This isn’t jam out get-wasted music, but focused the way a classical piece is constructed and performed.” – Sludgelord

“Where many bands are ushering in tones of the future, A Fucking Elephant stays with a primal and more primitive energy state, lashing out a megaton blast of weight with their complex melodic and rhythm sequences. […] It feels incredible to get lost in the sonic mazes that they call their music. […] A Fucking Elephant is definitely a band to check out if you love the modern extensions of progressive rock music with that eternal fire in the heart of it all that separates the more calm, subdued song writers from those walking on the edge.” – Sound Colour Vibration

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“…notes falling over themselves like babies in a cement mixer… A Fucking Elephant are awesome. They are not interested in commercial interest, mass sales or glossy marketing. They play and record what they feel and then press it to nauseatingly yellow vinyl […]. They recall the heady days of early-90’s alternative before it turned introverted and buried itself in gloom and they resonate with the simple joy of making music because they can – no hype, no bullshit pressure and no unnatural digital gloss. This is rock music as it should be – raw, untamed and unrestrained and it quite simply is A Fucking Elephant.” – Sonic Abuse

“Chaotic and technical, listening to guitarist Matt Keys and drummer Greg Meisenberg symbiotic communication manifest itself in such dynamically charged music is jaw-dropping. Dissonant, spasmodic, unbalanced, lopsided, crooked, skewed, whatever; one thing is for sure: With only Seven Inches from A Fucking Elephant, two tracks are nowhere near enough. More please.” – The Midlands Rocks

“The erratic, jazz-syncopated and caustic shrapnel that’s lovingly carved into the grooves of Seven Inches, the new 2-song single from New Jersey’s A Fucking Elephant, is the type of scattered violence one hopes for when confronted with a song title like “I’m Addicted to Drugs & Sex and I Want You to Choke Me.”” – Stereo Killer

New Jersey’s progressive/regressive instrumental metal duo A FUCKING ELEPHANT has loaded up the shrimp wharf with several weeks of provisions for their latest string of shows. The January 2013 tour insanity will kick in this Friday with a semi-local show in New Brunswick, followed by over two weeks of additional cities throughout the East Coast and upper crust of the Midwest set to get the gruesome twosome’s mangled instrumentally-challenging/vocally-challenged live molestation. The duo is touring in support of their greasy new Seven Inches 7”, set for emission via the band’s own Nefarious Industries officially on January 22nd.

To help kick the tour off in style, today A FUCKING ELEPHANT have whipped out Seven Inches for your auditory displeasure via BrooklynVegan. Go wrap your legs (or ears) around both tracks RIGHT HERE.

Featuring two brand new A FUCKING ELEPHANT songs, including the hit single “A Bunch of Good Looking Roundeyes” as well as the opening love anthem “I’m Addicted to Drugs & Sex and I Want You to Choke Me,” the 7” was recorded with engineer Colin Marston (Krallice, Dysrhythmia, Behold… The Arctopus). The wax pressing will be limited to 500 copies overall — 250 on black vinyl and 250 on yellow — and will be available early at the shows on the tour.

“Where many bands are ushering in tones of the future, A Fucking Elephant stays with a primal and more primitive energy state, lashing out a megaton blast of weight with their complex melodic and rhythm sequences. […] It feels incredible to get lost in the sonic mazes that they call their music. […] A Fucking Elephant is definitely a band to check out if you love the modern extensions of progressive rock music with that eternal fire in the heart of it all that separates the more calm, subdued song writers from those walking on the edge.” – Sound Colour Vibration

2013 is shaping up to be an amazing year for Nefarious Industries. Two and a half years into this moronic experiment, we’re getting the opportunity to work with a wide array of artists that are all creating incredible and diverse music. We’re proud to be able to continue to bring you guys such a variety of music that you might not have been exposed to otherwise.

Before I delve too deeply into our future plans, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of the great bands that we’ve worked with in 2012. So Is The Tongue, Mount Gomery, Tovarish and arbogast all made great records, and we’re proud to have worked along side of them. If you haven’t checked their records out yet, please do so. Also, don’t forget to avail yourself to our free digital sampler here.

Now, onto the new stuff. We’re going to kick off our year with our first ever international release! Seven Nines and Tens from Vancouver will be releasing a digital single through our label on January 1st titled Constants and Axioms/Kemptville. Seven Nines and Tens plays a particularly muscular and brainy brand of post rock that I think you will all enjoy thoroughly. You can get a taste of the single on our digital sampler. We’re happy to be spreading our auditory virus north of the border!

January 22nd will mark the return of one of our flagship artists, A Fucking Elephant. We’ll be releasing their amazing new 7″, Seven Inches of A Fucking Elephant. Most of you who follow our collective exploits are familiar with this band’s mindfuckery, and I can assure you that this release is a wonderful extension of that. The EP 7″ will be available in limited quantities of yellow and black vinyl, accompanied by stunning artwork from the warped mind of Eric Nyffeler (doe-eyed.com). Pre-Order now to be entered into the raffle for a chance to win a test pressing of this slick 45. The band will be hitting the road hard in January. Check out their tour dates here.

We’ll be spending most of the spring on 2 awesome vinyl releases. The first will be Farmer’s Almanac by East of the Wall. This one holds a special place in my heart because it’s the first record I ever played on, and I have been waiting to have this on vinyl for quite a few years. We don’t have an exact release date for this one yet, but it will be out in time for the band’s spring tour.

Next up will be Goes To Purgatory by Jar’d Loose. If you’re not already familiar, this awesome Chicago band plays a grimy, Am-Rep sort of nastiness that will get your head banging. We’re happy to be releasing Goes To Purgatory on vinyl. Make sure to check them out on tour next month. Dates can be found here.

My band, El Drugstore, will FINALLY release our debut full-length, Plague Ship, this spring. Needless to say, I’m very proud of the songs on this record and I can’t wait for you all to hear them. More release details are forthcoming. In the meantime, check out a demo of the track “Fascinating Underpants” here.

All of the nuttiness that I outlined above is just the beginning of our year. We’ll be releasing a new record from Pigeon (facebook.com/pigeonny) at some point early in 2013. We’ll be making some forays into improvised acoustic world music, as well as free jazz. One of my goals for this label from day one has been to expose whatever followers we have to a ton of music of all styles that they likely wouldn’t have heard otherwise. 2013 is a big step towards achieving that goal.

A big thank you is in order to everyone who has bought a record from one of our bands, or even just came to a show or helped spread the word. Onwards and upwards.

A Fucking Elephant gets mentioned in the AV Club, albeit on their list of “funny, dumb, terrible, or otherwise noteworthy band names.” I vote dumb and terrible. Also, bonus points awarded for calling out Greg on his Korn obsession. Check under the “Animals” section.

Kinky riff-twister duo A FUCKING ELEPHANT has completed its latest batch of percussive auditory penetration, and is preparing to drop the Seven Inches 7” on January 22nd.

The New Jersey-based twosome hammered out two gnarly new tracks with engineer Colin Marston (Krallice, Dysrhythmia, Behold… The Arctopus), which will end a two-year release gap, the last new material having been captured on A FUCKING ELEPHANT’s split full-length with cohorts El Drugstore nearly two years ago. As with the split, Seven Inches will pop out on Nefarious Industries, the indie label formed by deviants from both bands. The wax pressing will be limited to 500 copies overall — 250 on black vinyl and 250 on yellow — in addition to the tracks being available digitally.

Get freaky with the artwork for Seven Inches, created by Eric Nyffeler/Doe-Eyed Design, live footage of “I’m Addicted To Drugs And Sex And I Want You To Choke Me” — the a-side of the 7” — and other AFE tomfoolery below.

Simply but aptly comprised of guitarist Matt Keys and drummer Greg Meisenberg, A FUCKING ELEPHANT has been assaulting basements and forcing acoustic trauma since 2007. In conjunction with Seven Inches slipping out, A FUCKING ELEPHANT will pack up the shrimp boat and set sail on a stateside tour in support of the wax attack. With the final few engagements of this latest DIY venture still being locked down, the tour is set to molest a total of seventeen cities throughout the East Coast and upper crust of the Midwest, with things getting greasy with a semi-local kickoff show in New Brunswick on January 4th. Shows will be updated over the coming days via the AFE Facebook and Earsplit tours page.

Chicago’s metallic progmangling trio arbogast will release their debut album, the simply titled but intricately envisioned and executed I, on December 4th. I will be set loose by arbogast’s cohorts at New Jersey-based Nefarious Industries, founded by and home to El Drugstore (members of East of the Wall), A Fucking Elephant, and So is the Tongue (members of Kayo Dot).

arbogast’s boisterous debut tackles a theme on the minds of many: the declining morals of a country where the middle class is being overthrown by the greed of the privileged. The eleven songs harnessed on I were recorded by Andy Nelson (Weekend Nachos) at Bricktop Studios in Pilsen and mastered by Matt DeWine (Where the Moon Came From) at Ukrainian Village’s Pieholden Suite Sound, founded by the late Jay Bennett (Wilco).

Since their first appearance in February 2009, arbogast has shared the stage with scores of acclaimed ensembles including Bison BC, Gates of Slumber, Across Tundras, Goes Cube, and Tidal Arms. As evidenced in previous releases — a self-titled EP from 2009, a split 7” with New Jersey’s A Fucking Elephant from 2010, and a demo from 2011 — arbogast’s influences encompass everything that is heavy, blending metal, thrash, hardcore, sludge and even old-school punk into an aggressively progressive haze that never veers too far into the pretentious.

Matching arbogast’s trademark heavy sound with a heavy theme, dead birds litter a desolate landscape on the cover of I, designed by Aaron Block (Shifting Totem), whose work has also been commissioned by legendary bands Suicidal Tendencies and DRI. Vocalist/guitarist Mike Scheid lays the foundation with the first notes of the album — an eerie Hammond organ that crescendos seamlessly toward the first track, ‘final throes.’ Vocalist/bassist Aaron Roemig further establishes the tone with the first verse: “War’s been waged, a barrage of greed, ensures divisions strengthening.” Similarly disillusioned lyrics are the mainstay of this recording. The undercurrent of arbogast’s sound, drummer Mike Rataj’s patented blend of ambidextrous chops, jazzy finesse and thunderous hardcore fury drive the album start to finish.

With live shows constantly being booked through their native Chicago and beyond, the band will take to the road early in 2013 and throughout the rest of next year in support of I. Stay tuned for constantly-developing details as more live attacks are plotted and announced.

New Jersey’s atypical progressive experimanglers A FUCKING ELEPHANT – who have been assaulting basements and forcing acoustic trauma since 2007 — will barricade themselves in the studio with engineer Colin Marston (Krallice, Dysrhythmia, Behold… The Arctopus) this weekend to lay down two new tracks. The material being recorded is for a 7” the duo – drummer Greg Meisenberg and guitarist Matt Keys — will be releasing in January, in conjunction with a stateside tour to support it.

The newly-confirmed 7” will be A FUCKING ELEPHANT’s first new material since their split full-length with cohorts El Drugstore, which dropped in early 2011 via Nefarious Industries, a label created by members of both bands and other local allies. The new 7” will also be released through the label, and will be joined by other new titles in the coming months.

More info on the studio session and upcoming live actions will be released in the weeks ahead. In the meantime get nuts with live footage of one of the new songs to be recorded for the 7”, bearing the polished title I’m Addicted To Drugs And Sex And I Want You To Choke Me, right here:

Math rock is one of those genres that totally changed my views on musical structure and songwriting. Bands like Hella, Don Caballero and Battles take conventional songwriting and beat, torture and rearrange it into something completely different than your standard trite metal band. Complex and atypical rhythmic patterns, odd time signatures and angular riffs and melodies are a few characteristics that make math rock and its counterparts such an intriguing listen. One rarely known band in mind that fits the category of math rock is the insane duo of A Fucking Elephant. They have been known to take the characteristics mentioned above and completely bastardize them into something whacked out and exciting. I recently caught up with drummer and vocalist Greg Meisenberg to talk about his involvement in A Fucking Elephant, their eccentric writing process and shrimp.

New Jersey progressive rock/metal trio SO IS THE TONGUE embark on their latest self-booked bout of live performances today, kicking it off in Maryland and riffing their way south through Georgia over the next few days.

SO IS THE TONGUE are touring in support of their friend Dan Sroka, who is currently battling cancer; the band have started a fund and are donating money from their shows on this tour to the fund, to help their brother wage war on massive medical bills. Please attend one of these shows if you’re in the vicinity, or help the cause by donating a few bucks RIGHT HERE.

SO IS THE TONGUE’s music transcends from its convoluted jazz, folk, progressive metal, post-rock and other diversified origins into surreal and ultimately unique movements. They released their sophomore LP a Child of Divorce in January of this year via Nefarious Industries, an indie label formed by members of the band as well as several cohorts in East Of The Wall, El Drugstore, and more. The instrumental tracks for the album were recorded at The Thousand Caves by Colin Marston (Gorguts, Krallice) and the vocals recorded by Chris Alfano (East of the Wall, Argonauts). In March 2012 SO IS THE TONGUE parted ways with long-time drummer Justin Thouret and went on the road with Dan Romans of the DRX. In June, Greg Meisenberg (A Fucking Elephant) put down the bass guitar to take over drum duties, and the band has since been working with bassist Jon Rosen. Helmed by guitarist/vocalist and founding member Ron Varod (Kayo Dot), the trio will continue to write and tour through the remainder of the year.

To cover any of the pending shows or for any other SO IS THE TONGUE press inquiries, worldwide contact Earsplit PR.

“So is the Tongue have a musical personality all their own, which makes for a great auditory experience. 9/10″ – American Aftermath

“…So Is The Tongue never succumb to the trappings of overt-technicality at the expense of good songwriting.” – Brooklyn Vegan

“…the entirety of a Child of Divorce is a fantastic conceptual piece that highlights the inherent talent this 3-piece has in terms of chemistry, individual instrumental prowess and for penning interesting hooks, grooves and pieces of songs that burst out at you suddenly and ferociously. 4/5″ – Music Emissions

“…if you are open to the true prog rock – the progressive kind – and you have a little patience then it will be a valuable discovery for you.” – Lords of Metal

Following several spurts of regional touring earlier in the year, New Jersey-based prog trio SO IS THE TONGUE have announced their next wave of D.I.Y. touring. While the band are still hammering down several more shows on the second half of the routing, they have confirmed the first week of performances as they prepare to take on the southern U.S. The confirmed itinerary at press time is listed below and will be updated in the coming days.

Besides simply a tour for the band to perform their music for humans, the trek has a deeper purpose: Dan Sroka, a close friend of the band, is currently fighting off the vile thing called cancer, and SO IS THE TONGUE have started a fund to help defer some of his hefty medical bills, where a portion of their tour proceeds will be sent. So if you reside anywhere in the vicinity of any of these shows, please come out and support the cause. And even if you’re nowhere nearby, donations to the fund can be made RIGHT HERE.

SO IS THE TONGUE’s music transcends from its convoluted jazz, folk, progressive metal, post-rock and other diversified origins into surreal and ultimately unique movements. They released their sophomore LP a Child of Divorce in January of this year via Nefarious Industries, an indie label formed by members of the band as well as several cohorts in East Of The Wall, El Drugstore, and more. The instrumental tracks for the album were recorded at The Thousand Caves by Colin Marston (Gorguts, Krallice) and the vocals recorded by Chris Alfano (East of the Wall, Argonauts).

In March 2012 SO IS THE TONGUE parted ways with long-time drummer Justin Thouret and went on the road with Dan Romans of the DRX. In June, Greg Meisenberg (A Fucking Elephant) put down the bass guitar to take over drum duties, and the band has since been working with bassist Jon Rosen. Helmed by guitarist/vocalist and founding member Ron Varod (Kayo Dot), the trio will continue to write and tour through the remainder of the year.

Stay tuned for the final/complete tour routing to be announced in the days ahead. To cover any of the pending shows or for any other SO IS THE TONGUE press inquiries, worldwide contact Earsplit PR.

“So is the Tongue have a musical personality all their own, which makes for a great auditory experience. 9/10″ – American Aftermath

“…So Is The Tongue never succumb to the trappings of overt-technicality at the expense of good songwriting.” – Brooklyn Vegan

“…the entirety of a Child of Divorce is a fantastic conceptual piece that highlights the inherent talent this 3-piece has in terms of chemistry, individual instrumental prowess and for penning interesting hooks, grooves and pieces of songs that burst out at you suddenly and ferociously. 4/5″ – Music Emissions

“…if you are open to the true prog rock – the progressive kind – and you have a little patience then it will be a valuable discovery for you.” – Lords of Metal

Footage from A Fucking Elephant‘s June 15th appearance at Paradise Lost in New Brunswick, NJ, featuring Ron Varod (So is the Tongue) on vocals/hardcore speeches. Check out the whole set below, including the first performance of A Bunch of Good Looking Roundeyes. A Fucking Elephant will be in the studio this summer with Colin Marston (Behold… The Arctopus, Dysrhythmia, Gorguts, Krallice) to record an EP that is schedule be released in January 2013 and will include the two new songs from the below performance.

A Bunch of Good Looking Roundeyes

Football With Ukrainians

I’m Addicted to Drugs and Sex and I Want You To Choke Me

Just the Tip

June 10, 2009 – On their way to Birmingham, AL, with Biclops (now East of the Wall), A Fucking Elephant makes a pit stop to buy a Yucca cane plant. After three years of shows and numerous stints in rehab, Robert is still with us, and Nefarious Industries is honoring his birthday by offering for a limited time a free download of A Fucking Elephant covering “The HIV Song” by Ween. Get it now, free, in our store.

Biclops and A Fucking Elephant in… Houses Of The Holly

The HIV Song

A Fucking Elephant has announced two local shows, their last before a 6 month hiatus during which time the duo will be writing and recording new material, and preparing a short winter tour. The band will be road-testing some new tunes at the below NY/NJ performances, so don’t miss out!

Contribute to a good cause and check out this awesome compilation from Sound Station, featuring Nefarious Industries artists including El Drugstore, A Fucking Elephant, and So is the Tongue. More info here.

The DRX will be playing 3 shows this weekend, in New Brunswick, Warwick, and Brooklyn. This time around the lineup will feature Ron Varod of So is the Tongue and Kayo Dot on guitar, as well as Greg Meisenberg (A Fucking Elephant, So is the Tongue) on bass, and Marie Kim (Bad News Bears) on cello and keys. Details below.

“Your spine will bend a little when El Drugstore goes off the rails in what’s best described as a cacophony of uprooted trees being torn down by a bulldozer where Live at Pompei once stood.” – Review Stalker

Next week sees the release of So is the Tongue‘s new album, a Child of Divorce, limited to a pressing of 300 records on 180-gram 12″ black vinyl. Pre-orders ship immediately, include an instant download + rare bonus track, and are available at our store.

Curious what Nefarious Industries is all about? Don’t miss the string of epic shows coming up this weekend, showcasing all the noise we have to offer in all it’s nefarious glory:

Bearing seven tracks containing over forty-three minutes of material, a Child Of Divorce was executed utilizing the talents of some of SO IS THE TONGUE’s close friends and associates; the instrumental tracks recorded at The Thousand Caves by Colin Marston (Gorguts, Krallice), the vocals recorded by Chris Alfano (East of the Wall) and the artwork completed by Nick Shellenberger (Cleric). a Child Of Divorce will be released on 180-gram LP format — limited to 300 copies — and deluxe digital download on January 17th, 2012. Tune in to stream “Either Way” and order the record in digital or limited LP formats right here. ORDER NOW and receive a rare bonus track, available only during the pre-order period leading up to the release date.

The band have also updated their upcoming live schedule with more January shows confirmed, including a four-date run comprised of all Nefarious Industries bands including A Fucking Elephant, El Drugstore and the DRX in addition to SO IS THE TONGUE. More dates are being confirmed for the coming weeks as well.

“A Fucking Elephant and El Drugstore will be bands that weave the way into the future of live music. […] No matter how good this split is the tracks make you want to beat your way down to the club and see these guys live. The raw energy comes across well, but to see them live would be awesome.” – We Love Metal

“After listening to the EP I am still slightly confused I must say. Is it Metal? Post rock? Rubbish? Nah that it isn’t, but difficult to place, yes. […] I am truly amazed by these wonders of rhythm on an almost instrumental EP.” – Sea of Tranquility

Hey there! So you’re probably wondering what all this nonsense is about. Basically, the 5 of us (Greg, Matt, Ro, Squid and I) wanted a place where we could release all of the stupid music we have cooped up in our brains. Since most of our ideas aren’t terribly marketable, we thought the best course of action was to start our own label for it, rather than going the traditional route.

The El Drugstore / A Fucking Elephant split EP (on sale now!) is our first attempt at a release through Nefarious Industries. It’s available both on CD and as a digital download. Future releases will often be digital only, and most likely in a “pay whatever the hell you want, including nothing” type of model. We’re only going to go physical for really special releases that we’re personally involved and invested in.

All that being said, we already have a few more releases planned. Next up will be the new So Is The Tongue record. We will have more details on that release coming soon. El Drugstore is nearly finished writing its full-length debut, and that should be coming out at some point in 2012. We’ll certainly be putting some more music out between those 2 releases, so make sure you keep up with us right here and on Facebook to stay up to date.

We’ll also be using this site as a platform to tell you about other bands, records and labels that we think are awesome. And maybe even other things that we think are awesome too. Like shrimp.

So that’s what you need to know about Nefarious Industries for the moment. Tell your friends.

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“As more and more split releases seem to appear there cannot be many that are as progressively textured experimentally and as intriguingly sonically wanton as the split EP from A Fucking Elephant and El Drugstore. […] This release is a must for anyone who enjoys the creative output from bands like Mars Volta, Iwrestledabearonce, and Between the Buried and Me. Neither A Fucking Elephant nor El Drugstore sound close to any of those but share the same creative intrigue and expressive style.” – ThisIsNotAScene

“Like King Crimson (an obvious influence on both bands), they manage to sound impressively gifted in the technical chops department without turning into a boring shred-fest — there’s plenty of instrumental wizardry going on, no question, but it’s all in service of engaging, ornate, and considerably original songs. This album is definitely recommended to prog-heads who like their complicated jams rendered with some serious physical weight.” – The One True Dead Angel

“This split EP is a very entertaining introduction to the musical madhouse of A Fucking Elephant and El Drugstore and a brilliant way to celebrate the founding of Nefarious Industries.” – Alternative Matter

“Both A Fucking Elephant and El Drugstore, aside from brandishing wonderfully titled little ditties like ‘Just The Tip’ and ‘Shit-Eating Dog Kisses’, have an interesting idea of how progressive music melds with pigfuck-ish punk-infused metal. Different groups? Yes, but both savor the math, and fairly floss their teeth with their guitar strings.” – Letters From A Tapehead

“Humans beware; the most putridly progressive and wildly warped split release of the year is upon us! A total head-to-head freakout-fest featuring two of New Jersey’s premiere tech-prog-psycho metal acts.” – Earsplit PR